Coffee Cups and Onion Rings || Brad Simpson (The Vamps) Fanfiction

four

Why can't I just be perfect? Why can't I be someone of worth?

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Noah found a note of instructions, which was obviously from Brad, taped on her door when she went upstairs to get her art supplies, with Cuddles following her. She shoved the note inside her pocket then walked towards her prized art supplies, where she looked at the dog beside her.

"So, Cuddles, what are we going to do today?" Noah asked Cuddles, who pointed at the sketch pad, that she reserved for pencil sketches, with his snout. Noah then took her pencil case and grabbed the sketch pad.

"Do you want me to draw you, Cuddles?" Noah asked the dog, whose tail was wiggling in delight. She chuckled at his actions and grabbed the note in her pocket, which said that she can let Cuddles run around the backyard, but she should also stay with him.

"I guess backyard it is, then. Plus, there's a great view outside," Noah told the dog, who started to run out of the door. Noah followed after him, then they both stood behind the back door.

"Okay, Cuddles. I'll be behind this gigantic pad, okay? But just because I look like I'm gone doesn't mean that I really am. If you get tired of running, you can just rest here beside me," Noah told the dog as if he could understand her. She then patted his head gently before opening the door, then Cuddles pranced through the door, eager to taste the outside world.

Noah sat down on the patio steps, just like the last time she was there, then she opened her sketch pad to a blank page. She then looked at the view in front of her and tried to remember its outline so she can start drawing.

Going back to the backyard was definitely not something she planned to do so suddenly, but the beautiful view of the rocky cliff right next to the ocean was enough to lure her in, intoxicating her brain with waves of imagination that she cannot resist. The delicate lavender flowers standing just behind the white picket fence added a flare of artistry that she believed would be a challenge to work on, especially since she was planning to do only a colorless sketch of what she could see. Not only did she want to draw that part of the island; she also wanted to capture its unique character of being self-reliant by making the picture illustrate itself sufficiently.

The island, she discovered, is small, but enough to independently sustain a community. They had all the basic necessities - grocery stores, schools, churches, and the like - and everyone seemed to get along well. The tightly knit relationship of the whole village made her feel like an outsider, but she didn't mind at all, for she loved seeing things from her personal perspective; she doesn't necessarily have to be a part of something to see its beauty.

Noah started her sketch with a gentle stroke of her pencil, illustrating the view in front of her as accurately as she could. The small lines that she would draw would then come together to form a defined outline, which then served as a reference for shadowing. She then sharpened her pencil so that she can draw the remaining details of her sketch.

It has been two hours since she started to draw, and she knew that because Cuddles was already laying beside her, sleeping away to refill the energy he used up for running around the backyard. She had to stop drawing for a while to give him water, of course, and when she started to draw again, he watched her intently, then he fell asleep. She would ruffle his fur when her hands were tired, then she would go back to her sketch, which was already halfway done. Just when she was about to continue, however, the door behind her opened.

"Noah? What are you doing out here?" Brad's voice called out, causing a startled Noah to close the sketch pad on her lap. She then hugged the pad and stood up, all while still looking at Brad's slightly worried eyes.